As part of the European Union (EU) eSafety initiative, it is expected that all new cars sold in the EU from 2009 onwards will be fitted with an “eCall terminal”. An eCall terminal is a device configured to generate an emergency call either manually by a vehicle occupant or automatically via activation of in-vehicle sensors when an accident occurs. When activated, the eCall device establishes an emergency voice call to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), which is typically a regulated public authority or a private centre that operates with the authorisation of a relevant public authority. At the same time, data regarding the accident is sent to the PSAP operator receiving the call.
Further details on how eCall is intended to operate are provided at http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l31103a.htm.
Since it is proposed that eCall terminals will be incorporated into all new cars sold in the EU, it is expected that their deployment will be costly.
A further disadvantage of eCall devices is that they do not provide an instantaneous emergency notification, since they are currently configured to only be activated when an air bag is deployed. At all other times, when not required, the devices are deactivated. Therefore, in the event of an accident, an in-vehicle sensor will be triggered, and the eCall device in turn activated. Upon activation, it is then necessary for the device to effect a connection to the network before transmitting data regarding the accident, including the time, location and vehicle description. This delay problem would be exacerbated with eCall devices using a GPS unit to determine its location, as from a cold start, a GPS unit can take up to twenty minutes to establish a location. In serious accidents, even small delays can be crucial.
Even if the eCall terminals were continually activated in the mobile telecommunications network, and operated in an “idle” mode in the same manner as a conventional mobile handset, a disadvantage of such an arrangement is that it would result in a huge amount of additional network signalling. This problem would be intensified when the vehicles with eCall terminals were moving, as more frequent location area updates would be required due to the movement of the vehicles.
There is therefore a need for an improved eCall facility. There is particularly a need for an eCall facility that can be implemented with a minimal delay.